Buy or cut fresh flowers on Saturday to adorn the house through the week

Prepare Sunday meals in advance to the extent possible.

Avoid going to bed too late Saturday evening so as to be tired on Sunday.

Things You Can Do:

Engage in activities that contribute to greater spirituality.

Attend Mass; especially as a family. Dress up. Get there are few minutes early and stay a few minutes after to share personal time with God.

Dedicate an hour on Sunday, outside of Mass, to prayer.

Spends some time before the Blessed Sacrament.

Pray the Rosary (as a family).

Devote time to the Scriptures.

Pope Benedict XVI suggests reading “Story of a Soul”, the autobiography of St. Theresa of Lisieux. He suggests we re-discover this “little-great treasure”, calling it a a luminous commentary on the Gospel fully lived”. Maybe read a chapter each Sunday.

Offer expressions of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Make Sunday a special day for the family, something to which your children will look forward to. Create some Sunday traditions the kids will remember when they get older and have their own children.

Share a special Sunday meal. Dress the table nicely. Pray before and after eating.

Wash the dishes together.

Have a cookout.

Have a picnic.

Read a wholesome book.

Have a Cream Tea and dessert on Sunday afternoons. Invite other Catholics over and socialize a bit.

Do things you find relaxing, for the sake of relaxing… like gardening, mowing, etc.

Spend time with family & friends

Get a good night’s rest and rest, physically, during the day.

Hang around with family members sharing in conversation.

Converse via phone with distant family members and friends

Visit the sick and aged shut-ins.

Take a walk in the park

Care for the Earth…maybe pick up litter as a family or some other creative ideas.

Write thank you notes

Play cards or board games together, especially those that invite conversation.

Take a leisurely Sunday drive, enjoy the landscape.

Sing together

Engage in crafts together.

If you have a fireplace, build a fire and read.

Things to Avoid:

Catholics should refrain from working and putting others in the position of performing servile work on Sundays, too. Shopping, eating in restaurants, going to movies, etc., require that others perform servile work at shops, restaurants, and cinemas. Stay home, visit private homes, etc.; don't encourage others to break God's commandments. Note that some professions understandably necessitate work on Sundays, such as some aspects of medicine, law enforcement, firefighting, etc. But, try not to work unless it is emergency services related or is truly financially necessary for you and your family.

Make Sunday a no sports or minimal sports day. Do not participate in or have your family participate in -- or watch -- Sunday sports. But it is perfectly fine – and you are encouraged -- to throw or kick the ball around with the kids or grandkids.

Shut off the TV. If you can’t do that “cold turkey” you might choose to watch EWTN Catholic Television (on your cable network) or go to the diocesan website www.salinadiocese.org and clicking on the Catholic TV link in the upper right corner of the main page. You may also receive Catholic EWTN and Catholic Answers radio programming by going to Divine Mercy Radio at www.kvdm.org and clicking on “listen live” on the top right section of their home page. Another alternative is to watch a wholesome Christian movie or contemporary movie on DVD. But significantly limit your time on watching or listening to television and the radio.

Stay off the web. If you must, after checking your email for personal messages watch or listen to Catholic television or peruse edifying Catholic websites. But significantly limit your time on the computer.

Make Sunday a no cell phone and no “texting” day.

Students, take Sunday off from school work. Discipline yourself to study during the week and on Saturdays.

Don’t shop. Try not to spend money. You force others to work.

Refrain from alcoholic beverages or drink in minimal quantities.

Don’t hunt animals on Sunday. Give them a day of rest, too. Hunt on Saturdays.